Centrifugal ore-separator.



P. F. PECK.

UENTRIFUGAL ORB SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 14,111.29, 1910.

Patented Jail. 17, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. F. 4PECK.

GBNTRIPUGAL ORE SBPARATOR.

APPLICATION I'ILVED MAR.28, 1910.

- rinfjngenmd Jan. 17,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l '3 SHEETS-SHEET a,

WM MM5 Patented Jan. 17, 1911.

P. P. PECK.

GBNTRIFUGAL ORE' SBPARATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED 141112.28. 1910.

. cumulated and then discharged, illustrated United States, Nos. 917120; 317121; 917122;

April 11th, 1910, cross reference to which herein disclosed but not claimed. and 1n f u l .present inventions more particularly relate eration, of the 'general type in which a load broken tical cross section of a part of a guide post PHILIP EKPECK, 0F TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

CENTRIFUGAL ORE-SEPARTOR.

- Application filed March 28,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

\ Be it known that l, PHILIP F. PECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, State of Washingtom have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Gre-Separatore, of which the following is a specilication.

The objects of my invention are to make an improved centrifugal ore separating apparatus for separation of heavier from lighter particles in nely pulverized ores, and the like, while mixed with liquid, hav-- ing better capability and more economic opor body of concentrates are alternately ac and described in my Letters Patent of the and 917123, issued April 6, 1909, and to' which belongs my pending application for centrifugal ore separators, Serial No. 554805. filed is hereby made, in which is claimed in substance. a vertically adjustable multi-chain# berecl receptacle in combination with a centrifugal separating memb'erof the kind described and' 'hydrahlic' and wedge shaped mechanism to eti'ect adjustment, which -is to the laundcr, its association with the separatingr vessel and the meansI for moving the laundcr into the several positions required.

ln the drawings. Figure l, is partly a side elevation and partly a. longitudinal central section of my separator.' Fig'. 2, is partly a. plan and partly a section ont line A-, of Fig. l, looking in the direction et the arrows, and partly a section Ion line B-BV Fig. l, looking in the direi-.tion ot the arrows, also showing some parts in' dotted lines. and a part of the base and frame away. Fig. 3.- is a detail partl taken on line 3 3. ofliig. looking in the direction ot' the arrow, but showing the top portion in broken perspective. Fig. 4, is a verand inserted column taken through the slots or crossl channels. also .showing part of thA inserted wedge mechanism in elevation. Fig. 5, is a detail showingone of the hand' wheels iti-elevation and some fragmentary adjacent parts, some of which are in central Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 17', 1911.

1910. serial1\m..551l,92o.l

' Fig. 8, is similar to Fie. 7exeept that the 65 launder is shown moved by use of the hand wheel, in position t6 receive tailings in their appropriate compartment. Fig. 9, is similar to Fig. 8, only the launder is moved in" position to receive mddlings intheir appro 70 priate compartments. Fig. 10, is similar to Fig. 9, only the launder is moved in position to receive Concentrates in their appropriatey compartment. Fig. l1. is a longitudinal y central section of one of tnhe discharge plugs 75 showing the discharge hole or passage through it.

ln '-making my improved centrifugal ore separator` l provide arotatable member 2, which is illustrated in the form of avessel, l

'and which serves as a separating vessel, having a closed bottom and open top. Theyhottom or' the vessel has a. central hub 3, tti'at engages rigidly a shaft 4, which is mounted in journal boxes and 6, respectively, to maintain it vertically. The vessel is rotated by a pulley 2 adapted to carry a suitable driving belt (not shoyyn).

The journal box :Zn-is attached to the upper part ot a suitgtble general supporting frame i', and the boi: (l, is secured to thebed plate 8, of the separator, andthe lower end ot the shaft is steppedin the,box (i, to carryr its weight. The vessel 2, is turned smoothly and concentrically to its shaft or axis, and on its inner peripheral wall is a separating f surface Si, over which the substance to he separated passes, as hereinafter described.

The top edge of'rim of the open end ofl ,the vessel'is angedoutward, as shown and 100 indicated by 10. which flange has an annular recess at its outer top edge, into Which thoie- ,pending peripheral part Yor edge of the plate shaped ring 11, isseated; this depending part being somewhat greater in width than the depth of the annular recess in the flange 10, there is left between' the ring and ring is also made wide enough'to extend inward some distance toward the axisof the vessel as illustrated, thereby partly closing,

Y' the opening in the top of the vessoel.

=vided with small holes 15, shown best in 'This ring around its out p The, separating. vessel with its Walls and the separating'surface inclined outward from its bottom to its top or open end, making it of vgreater diameter at this end, which is' the discharge end of the vessel, and the plate vor ring 11, extends a greater distance toward the axis than the extent of outward slant, or inclina* tion of the `Wall of the vessel, so that the bore or opening of the ring is less in diameter than the inner diameter of the botf toni ofthe vessel, enabling when desired, a sufficient body fliquid to be retained in the vessel to lill the separating passage and submerge the separating surface.

'Ilie ring 11. is held in place on'the flange of the vessel yby the screws 13,'which pass through it and are threaded into the flange. diameter, through its depending part is provided with a row of screw-threaded holes, communicating'with the space 12, intq/ which are removably screwed plugs or inembers 14, that are prois preferably iiiade enlarged sectional Fig. 11, of suitable size l material,

to permit of desired discharge of liquid and of liquid in the vessel to fill the separating passage and submerge the separating s urface, as above stated.

Located inside of the separating vessel 2, and with said vessel forming a separating passaofe 16, I provide a member to serve as a i de ector, which preferably embodies a -substantial non-elastic supporting element or portion 17, that I have illustrated in the form of a vessel, though thisI part may be any other suitable form of supporting structure. In most places in the specification, I

I Will refer to this supportingT element as the deflector vessel.4 I

The. defiector vessel has a closed bottom, yand an open top, except that at its top is a ring 18, flanged or extended a desiredv distance inward toward the axis of rotation.

. This vessel is somewhat smaller in diameter than the inside of the separating vessel 2,

thereby leaving the separating passage 16, adjacent to the separating surface; it is also somewhat shorter than the inside of the separating vessel, and has a central hub 19, which securely and rigidly engages the lower portion of a sleeve 20, that is mounted iu a rotatable manner around the central shaft 4.

' The lower end of the sleeve 20, rests in a rotatable manner on the upper end of the yet to retain a sufiicient quantity which rises above the bottom of the detlector vessel, and forms a feed chamber 24. This ring, lwhich I Will terni a feed ring, has a central openinglat its top, sutliciently larger than the outer diameter of the hub 19, to leave a suitable annular space around the hub, through which liquid and material, as well as concentrate-removing ivater `|may be introduced into the feed 'chamber 21.1-, by'

means of a pipe 25. rllie feed ring in this instance is formed integral withv the defiector vessel. Near the Wall of the feed chamber 24, are provided a number of holes 20, through the bottom of the delector vessel,

v which serve as material and liquid passages from the feed chamber down into the space 21, whence such material and liquid, actuated by centrifugal force, are driven into the separating passage, Where separation or con-A centration takes place.

The deflector member, in addition to the delector vessel, which serves as the supporting part or element 17, embodies an expansible and contractible element 27, which Irwill term an expansible element, and is in the nature of a covering-or jacket, ,secured to` and supported bythe deflector vessel. This latter element serves the oliice of generating a frictional Wash in the Separating passage to assist in separation and-in regulating the ,size of the separating passage, Iwhicli-facilitates bedding of the concentrates as they are l The expansible element. also as sists in intermittently removing the conseparated.

centrates after mulated. v Y into the delector vessel to effect expansion a desired bed has accu- I of the nelement 27, as explained in said- Letters Patent, I employ a pipe27, whichy is held bya brace Q8.l

It will be understood that both the tailings or waste material und the separated concentrates are discharged from the separating vessel through the same'discharge holes-in the several plugs 14, but the former during the loading or concentrating period and the latter during the unloading period, and between'thes'e periods it is usually advantageous to remove, discharge and collect separately acomparatively small intermediate ork middlings prodatY different times ,j

As means for introducing Wateruct, which is largely made up of the material in transit throughtlie separating vessel at senseo the time and immediately after the flow of pulp to the vessel is discontinued preparatory to unloading concentrates.

As ineanstor catching and receiving the tailings or waste, the middlings and the concentrates products separately, while being discharged from the separating vessel, and to deliver them separately for further disposition, I provide a suitably shaped, preferably metal launder 28, having several separate coinpartments,-in this instance I have provided three ot such coiiipaitiiicnts,-as indicated by 29, 30 and 31, which are intended and adapted to receive the tailings, middlin'gs and concentrates, respectively. Each of these compartments is provided with an annular opening in the direction toward the axis ci? the vessel and is of suitable sise and location with relation to the several discharge plugs 14, in the'vessel, so when the launder, during operation, is moved `to its different positions, as hereinafter described, materials discharged from the vessel will be delivered into the particular compartment desired to receive it. rihe com )artments inthe laender are provided wit their respective spouts 32, and 34, tor the separate llow of material and `water from the different compartments,

As means for moving the launderinto appropriate relative positions so each of the desired compartments will receive the particular material for it,v I provide hollow supporting posts 35, having screw threaded rods 36, extending upward out of the opening in each of the posts, and passing through internally screw .threaded hubs of hand wheels 37, .which are in suitable accessible positions, resting on the upper end of the posts, as illustrated. vThe rods 36, are attached to the bottom side ot the laun'der, thereby holding it in position as well as supporting its weight; the posts pass in. a sliding or travelable manner, through hollow guide columns 38, which are lsuitably bored to..nicely receive `and hold the posts in place and in alinement, permitting .them to be slid up vand down as desired. There arepreferably four of these columns 38,', dependingsome considerable desired distance low the bed plate 8, as illustrated, to which i the are secured and ireierablv the'v have y protruding wings or ears 39,\at their lower 55.

ends, with slots between the ears, shown best in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, whicli slots extentl a suitable distance up through the columns,

-tlvhere they are shown in Figs. 2 and 4, are

findicated by the initialing numeral 40.

The posts 35, preferably extend down into the columns 38, to their bottom portions and each have a slot corresponding to and registering with the slot in its respective column, and the columns are in suitable reladischai'ge passages throughr 42,' and-in position to rest and roll on the top side or surface of the respective bars, thereby servingr as means to support the posts; the posts, in turn, serve as means, through the instrumentality of the screws 36, and hand wheels 37, to support the launder; the rollers 44 are held in place by pins 44. .As is illustrated, these bars or members 41., are preferably smooth and even on their lower sides, and are ofsuitable widthr and adapted to enter and be traveled through the slots 40, in the columns, and over, and be supported by the several rollers 42, and at the same time to pass through the slots in the posts and under, and to support the rollers 44, as above stated. There are preferably two of these bars or travelable members 41, each passing through the slots of two of the columns and posts, which are located in suitable relative alinement as stated to permit of this, and to enable and insure a concerted movement, the two bars are preferably secured-together by a cross piece 45, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To actuate or effect travel of these bars, I have provided a hydraulic member or cylinder 46, with its piston rod 47, at one end, carrying a suitable piston head 48, while its other end extends out of the cylinder' through an ordinary suitable packing box 49, and engages-the cross piece 45, as shown, so that as the piston rod is moved by hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, the bars 41, will be correspondingly traveled.

As means for holding the cylinder in place I have provided av cioss stay 50, best shown in Fig. 2, -secured to thc-lower por- V tions of. two of the columns 38, and have extended a bar 5l, from'it to the cylinder, engaging the cylinder at4 52.

The hydraulic cylinder or memb'er is provided with suitable water pipes 53, and 54,

.and these pipes are provided withbranch pipes 55, and 56, adapted to supply water under pressure at desired times from any appropriate source; there are also branch pipes 57, 'and 58,provide d,'adapt'ed toafford escape channels for water from the cylinder at desired times. These pipes` are supplied with suitable valves 59K, (30, 61 and 62, respectively, the valves being relatively l plaeedso when the feed or pressure valve Vat one end of the cylinder is ope the escape Vvalve at `that-end, as Well as thfed valve at the opposite end of the cylinde will -be ioo ilo

iis

y resting the travel o l:portions of the wedges or straight portions, .resultmg during the time the wedge por- ,Wedge movement may be, and during` the of the Wedges, and the distance or spacing and adapted to-move the lannder so these closed, and the escape valve atthe opposite end ofthe cylinder will be open, thereby eni abling actuating liquid under pressure to pass in one end of the cylinder and drive the piston head and rod in a direction from that end While liquid is escaping from the opposite side ot' Qthe ypiston head, and vice versa by the reverse movement otI the valves. These Valves are provided willi handles (33, G4, and 6G, which are located relatively to be attached to a 'rod (SS, as shown. so that by movement ot' this rod, all ot' the handles Will be moved at the same time, and movement ot' the piston rod` actuating' the bars 4l, will be had when and in the direction desired, depending' on which way the rod 68, is moved; I prefer however tor best convenience that the valves be located so that movement of the rod GS, upward, will etl'cct raising of the launder.

As is most clearly illustrated in Fig.' l. the upper surfaces or edges ot' the bars lell,

are provided with multiple wedge shaped or inclined portions (i9, and TO, and with straight portions 7l, interposed between thcy wedge shaped portions; the straight portions have their surfaces substantially parallel to the bottom sides ot' the bars, and to the course of their travel. The wedge shaped' portions, aswell as the interposed,'straight portions are so relatively located and are also located with respect to the rollers ll, in the different posts through which they travel, that the several. rollers -ll will at the same time vpass over the same relative tions are ,traveling under the rollers, in movement of the posts relatively the same, carrymg thevlaunder ynp or down as thev time the rollers l-l, are traveling' over the straight portions 71, ot the bars` the posts and launder will not be' moved. lhe heights between the centers of the ooenings of the several comparta-rents in the ,launder are intended to, be substantially the same so the vertical movement ot the ltmnder, caused by the travel oft' the wedgesfwill he proper' annular openings will be insuitable 'aline ment to receive materials being' t'lisehargrcd through the plugs l-i, from the separating vessel.

, As means for tem orarily stopping or artpthe bars tl,`\with their wedge mechanism at the time when the rollers 44, are passing over the straight portionsinterposed between the Wedges, and thereby maintain the launder in position to receive middlings in the central eompartment 30, I have provided a forked lever 72, (shown in plan in Fig. 6,) having a shoulder i2, near one end. and being fulerumed at itin position .for this shoulder to engage and retain the cross bar 45, in its movement. and thereby stop the travel of the piston rod l?, and parts actuated by it until, througl'l the extended opposite or handle end of the lever T2. the retaining' shoulder' is drawn downwardout oi' eng-agement and releases the cross bar, which enables the piston and partsl actuated by it,to resume movement to the .limit of their travel. The movement of. these parts is arrested only in the direction ot' enteringr the wedges, which accomplishes upward movement ot' the lannder, Aand is uninterrupted in its travel in the'opposite direction. The erossbar l5, in this direction passes over the shoulder end ot' the lever by diverting ity downward. The spring 75, serves to `hold the lever in its normal position for arresting' the travel of the cross bar` and ot' restoring such position when the lever is diverted otherwise.

If it isy desired to retain'the launder in an intermediate position to receive middlings in its coi'npartment 30, ior only a comparatively short period during operation, this result: muy be had without stopping the travel ot' the piston and bars or wedge mechanisni. from the tact that during the time the rollers -l-l. are passing' over the interposed straie'ht portions, the launder remains in a state ot rest` and duringthis time, as,

`above` stated, the launder is' i"n position to receive product from ,the vessel, in its inter# mediatecompartment. lhese interposed straight port ions,iitl desired. may be made ot' greater lene'th than illustrated and thereby atlord means by whichn-iovement ot' the launder may he intermittently stopped a proportionatel'y `greater length of time without stopping travel ot' the hydraulic actuatin,gr member and wedge mechanism.

'lo prevent the Shoulder on the lever T2., i'rom eatehingandstopping the travel ofthe' cross bar l5, when not desired. there is provided a hook 7U. Fig'. 1, adapted to catch and hold the leven in position. as illustrated in dotted lines so its shoulder will be out ot' the range of engagementwith the bar.

'lhere are handles 77, and 78, provided 'on valves 79 and S0, that `govern the tlow ot pulp and concentrate-removing' water respectively, lin branch .pipes Sl and S2, for supplying the feed pipe 25, to the separa-ting' vessel; thesel several` valves` and handles are relatively located and hinged to a fulcrumed lever S3, through a 'connecting link S4, so that when oneA valve is open` the other is closed, and .by predetermined movementof the lever 83, the valves assume an opposite position. The lever 83, is t'nlcrnmed at S5, to the frame work ot the separator, and has its opposite end suitably hipged at 86, to

the launder as illustrated, in relative posiomgaan Amiddlings immediately after stoppage ot eed of pulp, and the compartment 3l, will receive concentrates while concentrate-removing water is being introduced, and the*v vessel unloaded These three positions ot the launder are respectively illustrated by Figs. 8, 9 and 10, which also show corresponding different positions of the upper end of one of the posts 35. It will therefore be seen that the movement ol the launder governs and controls' the'supplv of pulp and water tojthe reparating vessel.

lt is necessary to occasionally remove the discharge plugs 14, from the separating vessel, by unsere-wing them, tor purposes of renewal or otherwise, and to enable access to them for this purpose l have more especially provided the screw rods 3G, and 4hand wheels 37, which torni means supplen'ientary, to the movement ot `the posts 35, and the wedge mechanism and their hydrostatic actuating agencies, for conveniently lowering the launder below the Zone ot the row ot dis-y charge plugs la, .as illustrated in Fig. T, bringing the plugs accessibly exposed above ,the top ot the launder. In this ligure one of these plugs is shown partly unscrewed for removal from the separating vessel, and in detail Fig. il, one oi the plugs is illustrated in ciilarped longitudinal central section, clearly showing' the discharge hole through it. To elcct movement or adjustment of the lauuder by .these supplemental means, irrespecive nl the wedge mechanism and their actuating agencies, the hand wheels are turned in 'the direction desired, and after the discharge plugs have been removed and restored so the vessel is ready for operation, the launder may he raised and adjusted to position to be properly moved and operated through the agency of the hydraulic cylin- I der and .mechanism actuated by it.

` ln operation. the separating vessel is ro-.

tated at a sullicient speed to develop the high degree of centrifugal force required to retain the concentrates on the separatingv surface, and the detlector is rotated at. a suiicielltly differenty dpeed to enable the expansion element, through travel ditierentially to the separating surface to create a washing' or liquid scouring friction sutiicient to wash and keep the waste'substances moving to discharge, While the concentrates accumulate in a ced on 'the separating surface; the rod G8,

is then moved downward, shitting its attached valve handles, resultingin the hydraulic member, traveling the wedges outward, withdrawing them to their full extent. and lowering the launder to its lowest operating position adapted to receive tailings from the separatingvessel. in the compartmentl, which is intended for them. By this movement of the launder, the pulp feed valve T9, is opened through its connection with the-launder. by the lever S3, and

Ithe concentrate-removing water valve S0, it

open. is by the same, means, closed. By opening of the pulp feed valve, pulp in a state appropriately dilute is introduced to the separating vessel in suflicient quantities to forni and maintain a desired body (mostly liquid) therein to fill the separating passage and submerge the separating surface as well as to supply the appropriate volume to pass through the separating' passage for separation and to progressively accumulate the desired load or hed ot' concentrates; after this condition has prevailed until the separating vessel is suiticiently loaded with concentrates,

vthe rod 68, is moved upward, which -moves the Water 'governlng valves to the cylinder and through hydraulic pressure, eects movement of the piston in the cylinder, thereby actuating' the wedge carryingy means, entering the wedges (i9, under the rollers 44, and lifting` the launder till-the cross bar 45, engages the shoulder 73, ot the lever 72, which stops the movement ot the hydraulic member, and thetravel ot' the wedges 'at the time when the rollers 4l, are passing over the interposed straight portions 71. At this time the launder` has reached a position adapted tor the compartment flO, to receive material discharged by the vessel 2,it being the time when middlings are discharged ;tln'oufh this movement, the launder also having closed the pulp supply valve, tailings have ceased to be discharged. If desired some water may, during this time, be introduced to the vessel to cleansethe surface of the bedded concentrates and assist in removal and discharge of middlings, this however should be continued for but a comparatively short time before the shoulder 73, should be disengaged from retaining the bar 45, by pulling' upward the handle end ot the fulcrumed lever 72, so lthe hydraulic membeihwill complete its course of travel, and lrivc the wedges 70, under the rollers 44, and move the launder upward to its fullesty extent, in position so the compartment 31,

ywill receive material from the separating` suitable means, be considerably decreased to sutlicicntly reduce the retaining centrifugal concentrate-removing Water, 'and Will openl the pulp feed valve and result in concentration as before, and the operation of the separator may be continued by successively repeating these cycles of movements.

It it is desired to retain the launder in the intermediate or middlings receiving position a short enough period of time, the lever y72, may be drawn up at its handle end and engaged by the hook 76, to hold thc shoulder 73, out of range of travel ot' the bar 45, s0 the launder will only remain in that intermediate position during thc time the rollers 44, are traveling` over thc Ainterposed straight portions 7l. These interposed straight portions may be made ot greater length if desired, thereby prolong` ing'the period of rest of the launder at its intermediate position Without the use of the shoulder on the lever T2, from the tact that at a predetermined speed of travel of the Wedge carrying mechanism it will re-u' quire a greater length of time for the rollers 44, to pass over the lengthened interposed straight portions.

What I regard as new and desire to sccure by Letters' atent is:

l. In a centrifueal ore se arator having' a rotatable separating vessel provided with removable discharge members adapted to intermittently discharge tailings and concentrates, the combination of a movable launder having compartments adapted to receive tailings and concentrates separately,

ymeans for intermittently introducing pulp into the separating vessel, primary means adapted to move said launder into appropriate positions .to receive the tailings and l rotatable separating vessel provided with removable discharge members adapted to intermittently discharge tailings and concentrates, the combination of a movable launder `containing compartments adapted tolreceive tailings and concentrates separately, means for intermittently introducing pulpinto the separating vessel, primary means adapted to move said launder in to appropriate positions to receive tailings and coiicentratesvin their respective compartments, secondary means adapted to movethe launder below said discharge members, embodying handwheel and screvv`threaded mechanism interposed betwveen the lannder and said primary means,operableindependently of said primary means and automatic means governed and operated by said launder adapted to stop the supply of said pulp While concentrates are being discharged from the vessel, substantially as described.

3. In a centrifugal ore separator having a rotatable separating vessel, provided with removable discharge members, adapted to intermittently discharge tailings and concentrates, the combination of a movable launder containing compartments adapted to. receive said tailings and concentrates separately, means for intermittently introducing pulp and concentratri-removing water into the vessel, primary means embodying reciprocalile supports, movable wedge-carrying mechanism and hydraulic agencies below said discharge members,substantially described.

PHLIP i PEUR.

lllitnesses N. hW. COLLINS, JOHN G. CAMPBELL. 

